


The Gentle Art of Loving You

by Kmsimms, WillGrammer



Category: Gotham (TV) RPF, Smaylor
Genre: Anxious Cory, Crying, Distressed Robin, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fear, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Married Smaylor, Mistrust, Numbness, One Shot, Smaylor - Freeform, Stress, Stuttering, Wedding Rings, emotional breakdown, wedding vows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-21 15:52:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9555935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kmsimms/pseuds/Kmsimms, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillGrammer/pseuds/WillGrammer
Summary: What happened to Robin and Cory on set during the filming of the 14th episode of the third season of Gotham,'The Gentle Art of Making Enemies.' - Smaylor version.





	

***This story is a piece of fiction and is not true to any real events. It is fan fiction and does not reflect at all my opinions, or beliefs of any of the people in this story.**

**This is Smaylor not Nygmobblepot, this is a story about the actors themselves, if this offends you, do not continue reading.***

 

 

"And are you _sure_ he needs to be standing so close to the edge?" Cory adjusted Edward's glasses on his face and glanced over his shoulder at his husband, teetering dangerously close to the edge of the docks. He'd gotten into position for his scene incredibly early, something Robin didn't often do. Today there had been no joking around or light-hearted chatter, though Cory just suspected he was getting into the general mood of the scene. He always wanted the take to be perfect, and if it helped him to perch himself twenty feet above water, so be it. Oh, who was Cory kidding, he was worried sick that he would fall and hurt himself, even scare himself but of course Robin would just tell him he was being silly, that he was perfectly safe and well.

Richard, the man that Cory was speaking to behind the close-up camera gave him a comforting pat to the shoulder, smiling reassuringly at him. "He'll be _fine,_ Cory. He's filmed in more dangerous situations than this, plus we have all the relevant safety measures in pe. See?" He gestured to the lifeguards, every men on the water on speedboats ready to get him out of any immediate danger. Cory sighed and forced a soft smile before turning to walk to Robin, brown gaze studying him with a measure of concern. He looked nervous, but he supposed that was nervous for someone about to be thrown into freezing water from a platform of decent height. "Are you ready, Robin?"

He twirled the gun around his finger with just a little too much enthusiasm, watching as it flew from the end of his finger and scattered along the damp wood of the dock. " _Oops_." Cory muttered under his breath and chased it, snatching it up with an amused chuckle and turning to fix his husband with a grin.

Only, Robin wasn't laughing at his clumsiness. He wasn't even _smiling_ as he would have expected, just standing there solemnly with a pensive look written across his features, gazing into the distance. Cory's brows furrowed behind the black frame of his glasses and he stepped in front of his husband, stroking up and down his arms. "Hey. Don't be nervous. They have the lifeguards on standby and someone to pull you right up when the cameras cut. You'll be fine, Robin!" He grinned and pressed a butterfly kiss to the center of his brow, taking him under his arm in a hug. For all the right angles and shots it was going to take a few attempts, a make-up team waiting to fix Robin's hair and makeup for the next. _No wonder he was feeling nervous._

 

Cory's clumsiness didn't bring a smile to his face or drew a small laughter out of his throat like usual, no. Lately the scenes they have filmed together were full of angst and it was only a matter of time until the climax would arrive, the final scene here settled the war between Edward to Oswald, and then they'd have a few weeks off to rest at home before the filmings would continue until and after April, the season was left with just a few more episodes and that would be it for the third season of Gotham. The smaller man remembered well his final scene with Ben, maybe not in this exact spot he was standing on but he was pushed into those cold icy waters in the past, in the end of the pilot episode almost three years ago. The way Cory mastered Edward's anger will always bring a shiver down his spine; his gritted teeth and tightened jaw, the way he spoke so low from his throat and watched him through hateful chocolate brown eyes was enough to make his heart sting.  
  
In those past weeks while the climax was built over he had found himself sympathetic to Oswald's pain all too close, as this was his doing and not the fictional character's, as if Cory wasn't just reading scripted words - his mind translated it to real threats and he found himself terrified of what his husband was capable of. His insides burned as his chest tightened and he gazed to a distanced spot over the set, the cold air breeze bringing a feeling of helplessness to his situation which helped him to get into Oswald's shoes all the more deeper. The kiss to his brow brought him back to reality as he watched his husband, studying his face for any traces of anger. They never fought before. Everyone had little arguments, and he remembered a certain one where he tried apologizing to him and leaned to hold and kiss him for comfort, but the taller man denied it from him by his body language, openly showing he did not approve any kind of touch from him at the moment. He couldn't remember what the argument was about, only that it was not worth all the tension between them. And about three weeks ago, when they filmed the 10th or the 11th episode, Oswald was about to reach out to Edward for comfort, for safely, but denied himself from it, knowing he wouldn't approve it. And now, the same was bound to happen yet again, when Oswald would try and reach out his tied hand to stroke Ed's cheek; the other would smack his hand away.

 _'_ _It's not real,'_ he told himself, his insides burning with fire of guilt and self loathing before he managed a short breath out of his throat after he’d been prepared to the scene by the makeup team, looking paler as his hair stood in the ‘disco vampire’ style.  
_"_ Ready _."_

 

Cory gazed down at his jittery husband for just a second longer, keeping him pressed tight against his own body for reassurance. "Deep breaths, Robin. Like I said, you're in safe hands. Hell, I'll dive in there after you before I let _anything_ happen to you." Even with Cory's extra reassurance, Robin still seemed in a daze of sorts and for once Cory couldn't read him, though he wished more than anything right now that he could get in his head and see what he was thinking. Robin _said_ he was ready, but his actions spoke volumes, causing Cory to purse his lips in thought as he stepped back to adjust his husbands tie. He had every faith that the scene would go without a hitch, as usual due to Robin's stellar performances. "You're going to do great. Let's knock this out of the park, huh?"

"You two ready? Into positions!" One of the scene directors called out over the shoulder of a camera man, Cory instantly stepping away from Robin and brushing his gun at him. He smiled at his husband and raised a gloved hand, giving a thumbs up to the set team as an indication that they were ready to begin.

"Five, four-" Something still wasn't right with Robin. He wasn't himself, and he wasn't Oswald, seemingly stuck somewhere in between with no smile and no sparkling eyes, yet none of the anguish his character should have been feeling. Almost instantaneously, Cory's smile slipped from his face with worry. "Three-"

 _"_ Wait. _Wait,_ hang on." Cory tucked the gun into his waistband and stepped forward once again to close the space between them. Gripping his husband's shoulders in a loose hold and stooping to his height, he tried to coax eye contact between the two of them.

 _"Robin?_ "

 

Robin's eyes snapped upwards to gaze Cory through a terrified  blueish-green glare, his breath quickened and he found himself unable to move as his mind translated his husband's concern as hostility and his shoulders under his strong hands felt like they were cracking and breaking down. He couldn't breath for a moment, couldn't talk, couldn't gaze away or move a single muscle as his heart was beating loud and fast through his chest, hard enough he could feel his stomach turning as a sick feeling captured him and he wanted nothing more than to disappear. Sweat coated his forehead he forced his mouth open, preparing himself into giving his husband an explanation of what was exactly going on, but his throat was dry and he found himself stuttering over his words as horror possessed him and he wanted nothing more than to jump into the icy water behind himself and hide under the surface.  
  
"I...I can't...I'm...I...I...sorry...I..."  
  
The people around them began speaking to him as Cory's lips started moving but his mind didn't register anything he said. Everything was crashing upon him as his sight went blurry from tears he hadn't realized that streamed down his cheeks and spoiled the makeup over his skin as he shook his head in mistrust and took a careful step back, the voices of everyone overloading his mind and sending him into a state of self defense and shock. "Don't hate me," he pleaded, letting out a cry. "Don't hate me. I'm sorry. I...I can't..."

His head was aching as words like _'Robin, take a step forward, relax,'_ _'You're going too close to the edge, no one is going to hurt you,'_ and  
_'You ARE NOT Oswald Cobblepot'_ echoed through his head and dragged a sorrowful cry out of him and he shook his head violently.  
  
"Shut up, _please_... **shut up!** shut up..." he couldn't stand the pain.

 

Robin took a step backwards and out of his grip, pulling a gasp from Cory's throat. He was far too close to the edge and _dangerously_ near to falling in the water. There was help on standby but that didn't matter, his husband was clearly in a state of distress and Cory wanted nothing more than to calm him; but his words were clearly not sinking into Robin's mind. Had he frightened him? Nine full days of filming had taken their toll on him for this episode and Cory wondered whether he'd been pushed just that little bit too far. "Robin... Robin, baby listen to me. You are going fall. Come...come here? Please?" Robin's eyes were wide and fearful, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Come to me. It'll be alright." Cory's hands were raised in surrender as he took one step closer, taking off Edward Nygma's glasses as an offering of comfort. "It's...me...Robin, it's _me_...come here. Please?"

Quickly, just as Robin's foot wobbled over the edge of the dock, Cory lunged forward to grab him and yank him closer, losing his footing and pulling them both to the ground. The pain of the fall was a secondary thought, Robin's well being was what he cared about now, the rest of the world could wait. His husband was sitting in his lap and he pulled him close against his chest, tucking his head into the crook of his neck. "Robin, it's alright, I've got you. I could never hate you, why would I hate you, my love?" Fingers stroked and toyed with dyed black hair as he rocked him, and shook his head to producers and cameraman who were coming just a little too close. Perhaps filming could wait. Robin clearly wasn't ready for such an emotional scene.

 

Once Cory had taken off Ed's glasses, something inside Robin snapped. The numbness feeling that trailed through his body was suddenly gone but it was far too late for him to do anything, his foot going way too far and he was no longer feeling the wooden deck under his shoe, his balance shaken and he was about to fall over, his fate as the same as his character's, only that then he was being pulled forward by his husband, ending up falling over him harshly as the other's back hit the ground. The ropes around his hands and back had been quickly tossed away to a distanced spot as a loud cry escaped his throat and he positioned himself over Cory's lap, his face against his neck as his heart burned with sorrow and his stomach turned to the fact he had just worried the man to death as well as their crew, and ruined a perfect scene he could master in any other day.  
  
But today _wasn't_ that day.  
  
The filming loaded him with the feeling that something between himself and Cory wasn't right, that the anger the other showed to the camera reflected their relationship behind the scenes, and that his pain as Oswald was anything but fictional. That things were breaking apart and everything he had built was falling to pieces under his feet, sleepless nights of spending in the balcony of their home until the little hours of the night were mostly the only nights he knew these past two months. His lover was always a deep sleeper, mostly. It wasn't difficult to make his way out of his arms at night and stand alone with a glass of cold whiskey in his hand.

"I thought that it was real," he choked out. "T-The war between Edward and Oswald...I...I thought it reflected us, that you hated me for something." he admitted, wrapping his trembling arms around the other's neck and finding  comfort in being held so tightly as he closed his eyes shut and managed to calm his body and bring himself into a relaxed state of mind to the voice of Cory reassuring him everything was okay between them and that he would never let out anything in their private life to the eyes or ears of anyone around them. The crew and staff members cleared the space between them which brought Robin a feeling of relief, now that their voices in his head disappeared, and only he and Cory were left alone in each other's arms.  
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was going on, Cory. I...I didn't want to stress you. I'm sorry for scaring you so terribly. I'm sorry for keeping to myself. I love you. _I love you_."

 

"Hush. No apologies, sweetheart. None at all." Cory was worried, anxious that Robin thought he hated him when he could _never._ "I will _always_ love you. See this?" Their rings weren't allowed to be worn on set, and Cory dipped a hand into Oswald's waistcoat for Robin's, and into Ed's for his own.

"These are a promise that I'll love you forever, and I mean that. Here." Carefully, he took his husband's hand and slipped the ring on, wearing his own before tangling their fingers together. "You're _mine_ . You're never getting rid of _me_ , understand?" He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Robin's head and sighed, happy that his husband was finally showing signs of calming down. "I love you too, Robin Taylor-Smith. Always. And you're never any extra stress on me, come to me with these things and share the load. In sickness and in health, right?"

 

The reassuring voice of Cory brought nothing but peace of mind and further calmness and safety to his senses as he allowed himself to relax entirely when realized he hadn't caused any trouble with his surprised breakdown.  
  
Robin felt heat rising up to his cheeks as his gazed moved to his and Cory's hands, the golden rings over their fingers shining as he tightened his fingers around the other's and pressed a breathless kiss to the back of his hand before gazing upwards to capture his lips into a slow, full of love kiss, all the while his right hand was placed over the back of his head, running his fingers through the other's tidy brown hair, keeping his eyes open as a green spark showed inside the blue waves, his husband's full of love chocolate eyes bringing him once against into tearing up as he held onto him tightly and continued their slow kiss, not showing any signs of moving away from the position they sat in anytime soon.  
  
"In sickness and health," he repeated, sniffing after pulling away from the other's soft and sweet lips, blushing brighter as his finger wiped away his tears and a kiss was pressed to his fake nose, drawing a small cloud of soft laughter from the both of them as they simply got lost in each other's eyes. Robin would forever be grateful to Fox for Gotham. It was after all the way he had met up with his husband, and right now he couldn't place himself anywhere away from the man in front of him, couldn't simply think of any alternative universe where they hadn't met each other since even the _thought_ of it was unbelievable - the thought of not knowing Cory Michael Smith was unimaginable, _unthinkable_ .  
  
Smiling wide, the smaller man simply rested his head over the taller man’s chest, letting out a calm breath as he was now relaxed completely thanks to  him and his comforting words and acts of defense when noticing his odd behavior right in time.  
"Thank you for being you," he whispered. "I love you, Cory Smith-Taylor, and I _don't know_ what I'd do without you."

~~

Five days later and they were back on set. Robin had needed some well deserved time off from filming and Cory had been adamant that it happened, he couldn't see his lover spiraling into depression over a scene. Lots of love and many pep talks with him had prepared him for today, Robin was finally ready to film the scene. "Hey. Just remember what we spoke about; I love you more than _anything_ in this world and no matter what happens here with Edward and Oswald, that will never change. You're going to blow us all away."  
  
Cory's hand squeezed Robin's shoulder reassuringly as he stepped back and into place. This was bound to be a tough scene to film but it HAD to be done, it would be a wrap for filming and Cory could spend the next few months doing nothing but lavishing his love on his beloved husband. After such a tough season, he really deserved it.  
  
Giving a quick nod to the camera crew and directors, Cory raised his prop gun and shook his limbs, trying to shake off any traces of Cory Michael Smith, becoming one with Edward Nygma. /Robin, you're going to do great./  
  
"Filming in ten...nine...eight..."

 

Five days of resting sure did their magic and raised his spirit once more. His head now clear and quiet, the bothering anxiety long gone as Cory kept him close and warm during their time together at home and under the covers. Words of comfort and encouragement were breathed into his ear as the sight of these stunning, kind and tender chocolate brown eyes burned into his own bluish green ones and nothing else mattered then. His mind was kept off any Gotham related news and besides a few Skype calls to their friends and showing them he was indeed okay, the two men spent the last five days in each other's arms and nothing other than that.  
  
The hand over his shoulder made him smile as once again his husband told him exactly what he needed to hear at a time like this. This time a very _obvious_ line stood from his Cory to Edward, and Robin knew that he and Oswald weren't to share the same fate this time, or live the same life, for that matter.  Taking a breath, the cold air against his back only added to his small prep before getting fully into the Penguin's shoes as the ropes around his body made him chuckle low from his throat and this time didn't lick his dry lips - the look of desperation in the fallen mayor's eyes had to be reflected due to his physical appearance as well, otherwise what was all that damn make up for? Gazing upwards into his husband's- no, _Ed's_ cold brown eyes, Oswald shivered and breathed shakily. "Ed," he said, "I love you. I know you believe that now. So you need to listen to me when I tell you...by doing this, it _will_ change you."

 

The emotion in Robin's voice when he got into character was something admirable, Cory always strived to meet him on his level yet his partner just kept raising the bar. Forcing a cold tone and hoping it wouldn't have the same effect on Robin as the previous week, Cory fixed his husband with Ed's signature glare. "I've killed before, Oswald."  
  
"Not like this!" There was that burst of emotion that almost shook him to the core, tears brimming in /Oswald's/ eyes as he tried to debate his life, beg for his /love./  "This won't be a crime of /passion/ or self-preservation. This will be the cold-blooded murder of someone you /love./" The crack in his voice was something awful, Robin was so attached to his character and Cory inwardly cursed himself for the script. "I. Don't. Love you." /But I do love/ you, /Robin Lord Taylor./ Oswald reached out for Ed and Cory hesitated, only for a brief second before pushing Robin's hands away. He hadn't done it hard enough for fear of hurting him, and the scene would have probably been forced to re-film if it wasn't for Robin taking the initiative and throwing his hands to the side.

/Well at least it looked like a slap./

 

Taking a sharp breath at the slap over his hand, Robin once more fixed his glare upwards to meet his husband's cold eyes, the way he got into Ed's shoes so easily will forever inspire him to be better. Some might think that working so close to your significant other could end up tearing the relationship apart but they were wrong. There was nothing more beautiful than standing in front of the man he loved and bringing to life two connected characters.  
"You need _me_ , Edward Nygma. Just as I need _you_ . You cannot have one without the other." he breathed out.  
"You /killed/ Isabella." Cory said low from his throat, his voice sent a silent shiver down his spine as always. The sight of him so amazingly connected to Ed, but in the other hand doing his best to still show the thick line between himself and his character warmed the smaller man's heart. "The _point_ is--"

 

 _"THAT IS THE POINT!"_ Edward was explosive, understandable because of his grief but the way Robin flinched almost shocked Cory out of character; he loved filming these scenes but hated them simultaneously, so raw and full of emotion that it left the actors almost just as drained as the parts they were playing.  "You _can't_ talk your way out of this, Oswald! I have wanted you-" _why couldn't they just end the scene there, with Edward Nygma_ wanting _Oswald Cobblepot? "_ -to suffer, as I've suffered. _You_ killer her, so _you_ die." _Come on, Robin. Showtime._ Cory knew he could do it, such an emotional scene that he'd already rehearsed and rehearsed at home until he'd gotten it perfect. The part of Oswald fit him like a glove, a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off.

 

Robin's expression hardened as the camera went on to focus over Oswald's reaction to Ed's words, and he could hear his own heart beating loudly through his ears. “When I met you, you were a nervous, jittery, loser. You were _nothing,”_ he spitted, emotion splashing out of him like a volcano as his eyes were shining blue to the sight of his speechless husband. “I _created_ Edward Nygma, and I am the only one who truly sees you as you _are_ ,” he kept his voice raised before softening it after taking a short breath. “Who you can still _become_.”  

“You can't do this,” Oswald was so desperate for Ed to see the situation in a better lightening, needing him to understand why he did what he did, wanting the man to back away from what he was about to do, the thought of getting thrown in the icy waters again, this time not by James Gordon under a threat, but by Ed because of the murder of the woman who could have taken him away could have been a disaster. It was true though that at the time the feeling the mayor thought he had weren't true until the point he refused putting Edward at risk, not knowing he had been working with Barbara and Tabitha all along. In a way, his situation was sympathetic, but then again; so was Ed's. “You can't do this,” Robin felt his heart swelling slightly as his eyes showed nothing but sadness and fear. When his words met with the other's silence, he sniffed. “Ed, are you listening to me?”

 

"I'm listening." Ed's eyes were downcast, Cory silently hoping that Robin's heartbroken expression was only in character and not something he had caused. A glance up and his eyes were brimming with tears, though Cory knew when his husband was _truly_ upset. _"Say something!"_ Came the heartbroken plea of Oswald Cobblepot, which would eventually become his last line of the episode. 

"I loved her, Oswald. And you killed her." The gun being a fake, it only clicked; the sounds would be added later but that didn't make Robin's reactions any less convincing. He flinched, glancing to all the blood in disbelief before locking eyes with Cory. _God that look in his eyes will be the death of me,_ Cory thought as he stepped closer, brown eyes swirling with emotion not only on his part, but Ed's too.  Curling a fist in Oswald's shirt, Cory searched his husband's expression for any signs of fear, discomfort, anything that meant he wouldn't push him from the dock. They could always film the scene another day, and Cory's gaze burned into Robin's, intent and questioning. _Are you okay? Is_ **_this_ ** _okay?_

 

The fake gun shot will be added later by the editors, but it was obvious he had to make the most with the scene with or without an actual sound; the clock rang through his ears for about half a second before he looked down in disbelief and let out a heavy gasp when feeling his husband taking a hold of his shirt tightly and pulling him slightly closer.

It was like time stopped when their gazes met. Edward Nygma’s cold brown eyed glare was flaming through Cory's eyes but he knew when his husband was _truly_ upset. Tenderness and some worry was found as a few seconds went by and he could feel his heartbeat raising; it's been about nearly three years ever since the filming of the pilot, and yet he remembered just how cold the icy water beneath his feet were when he was pushed in by the threat of a shooting gun. There too there was no actual sound of shooting, surely not so close to his ear either; he could only imagine what aching pain  young Oswald had felt when having to swim for his life in his bad condition already, and with the add of a pained right ear...it wasn't pretty. In fact, it was the opposite of puppies and kittens.

Another long second passed away and Robin gave Cory a long look, thinking in his mind of what he would have said if he could use his mouth at an important time like this. _It's okay, Cory. Push me, I_ **_will be_ ** _okay._

His husband was clearly still worried about the emotional breakdown he saw him going through five days ago and that was understable and heartwarming. If only the warmness could stay long enough, though, but that wasn't possible, of course. Not right now anyway. A half second later he watched Cory as he let go of his grip and the smaller man fell backwards immediately, Oswald Cobblepot’s gaze burning right through Edward Nygma’s as his bright eyes filled with despair and betrayal. The water around him colored in his blood from his open wound and the ropes around his body slowly lost their grip. The sound of the director’s cut calmed Robin as his lungs burned and his eyes closed slowly before he felt strong arms pulling him upwards even before the medical team who were _assigned_ to get him out of the waters got to them. Coughing out water, the cold smaller man blinked a few times as the wet ropes had been tossed away and he was wrapped in a few warm towels. “Penguins can swim,” he mumbled, and the sound of his husband's laughter filled him with happiness as he was carried into the dressing room of their shared trailer.

 

It seemed that time stood still as Robin let himself sink in the water, Cory only giving himself half a second before he was shedding himself of his shoes and suit jacket. _To hell with the next shot._ His expression of regret could always be filmed later, but right now his mind was fixed on getting Robin out of the water. Before the medical team could even think about hoisting him up, Cory jumped into the water and grabbed Robin where he was treading water, holding him close and kissing his forehead. _"I got you."_

Then time seemed to fly by as they walked to the dressing room, Cory whispering words of praise to his shivering husband and pressing his nose into damp, towel-dried hair. God it was freezing, he hadn't noticed until that moment just how far the trailers were! "You did _swimmingly."_ Cory joked, flashing Robin a wide grin as they stepped into their shared trailer. Already the heating warmed his bones and he sank into the couch, his husband in his lap. "I'm so proud of you, Robin. Onto the next scenes! You get to bug me to death even after your drowning, hallucination style." He smirked and squeezed his husband, an overwhelming pride warming his bones and spreading the smile across his features. He knew he could do it, and he had, he just took a little bit of encouragement along the way is all. Now they had finished filming - _save for the scene Cory had ruined by diving into the shallow waters-_ and they could have a much-needed break before starting this whole thing again.

 

"Now let's get you out of those wet clothes. Shall we?"

 

**Author's Note:**

> Robin's parts were written by me, Alex (WillGrammer)  
> Cory's parts were written by my best friend, Kelly (Kmsimms) 
> 
> A session Kelly and I started in order to help me feel better. Needless to say - it worked.  
> I will be forever thankful to have this amazing woman in my life.  
> Enjoy reading! Please kudos and comment your thoughts down below (Her Cory is bloody brilliant!)  
> You can find us on Tumblr as -  
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/will-grammer (Me)  
> https://kmarsimms.tumblr.com/ (Kelly)  
> Until next time! ~~  
> -Alex.


End file.
